We will instead refer to the oldest boy as Ben, the middle one as Carl and the youngest brother as Dennis.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Winston Man said Ben was just 11 when the man befriended him in 2009. The boy trusted him as he was a staff member at his school.

At first, the man would accompany him home from school.

After that, he started to take him to the zoo and to various shopping centres.

The man later got close to the boy's family and befriended his younger brothers.

DPP Man said he even bought his victims gifts such as shoes and clothes.

The man focused most of his attention on Carl as he thought the boy's parents neglected him. He also felt that Carl was more compliant than his brothers.

GRATEFUL

DPP Man said: "The victims' parents entrusted their children to the accused on the many occasions he took them for outings and meals as they thought that he was genuinely concerned for their welfare."

He added that before the offences came to light, the boys' parents were grateful for the man's help in caring for their children as they worked very long hours.

The man, who is represented by lawyer S. K. Kumar, showed his true colours in late 2009 when he took Ben to a staircase landing at Block 406, Bukit Batok West Avenue 4, and performed an indecent act on him.

Later that year, he took Ben to a second-storey staircase landing in the same block of flats.

By then, the boy knew he was about to be sexually abused, but he followed him out of fear.

While there, the man performed oral sex on him.

The court heard that he took Carl on an outing to Hong Kah North Community Club on December 2012.

He asked Carl to accompany him to a male toilet and forced the boy to perform oral sex on him.